Although social participation and connection are essential for healthy aging, many older adults face isolation. Since most studies are cross-sectional, little is known about the trajectories of social participation and connection. This study aimed to compare social participation and connection trajectories among aging women and men, and examine their predictors. Secondary analyses of six-year longitudinal data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging were conducted at baseline (2011-2015), and follow-ups 1 (2015-2018) and 2 (2018-2021; n = 51,338; 59.8 ± 10.2). Social participation and connection were modeled using group-based multi-trajectory modeling. Multilevel multinomial logistic regressions identified baseline individual and environmental predictors. Four trajectories were identified (most to least prevalent): Moderate-high, Moderate, Low, and High. Participation decreased but women globally maintained higher participation than men, and connection remained similar over time and across sexes. Being older, lower mobility, insufficient income, and poor mental and, for men only, physical health were associated with less favorable trajectories for both sexes. While immigration increased the odds of unfavorable trajectories among women, and of the Moderate trajectory among men, visible minority status was associated with the High trajectory. After adjustment, 17-28% of the variance in trajectories was attributable to community. Social deprivation increased the odds of less favorable trajectories, whereas rural areas were associated with higher odds of belonging to the High trajectory. Social participation and connection trajectories are shaped by place and space. These findings suggest that sex-specific, age-friendly urban planning and economic support are essential for maintaining social participation and connection in later life.

This study aimed to compare levels of happiness of older women and men living in conventional dwellings (CD) and independent living facilities (ILF), and examine happiness’ associations with thriving, social participation, community integration and ageism (self-directed and discrimination). A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a random sample of 509 older adults in CD and 470 in ILF in Quebec, Canada. Participants’ mean age was 82.22 ± 5.35, and two-thirds were women. Levels of happiness were similar in both sexes and settings. Greater happiness was associated with greater thriving for all (β = 0.28–1.48), social participation for women in CD (β = 0.67), community integration in CD (β = 0.42 for women and 1.18 for men), and reduced ageism, i.e., discrimination for women in CD (β = −1.02) and men in ILF (β = −0.28), and self-directed for men in CD (β = −0.21). The findings demonstrate that happiness was associated with factors related to the living environment and could be enhanced through targeted interventions.

Situations of vulnerability are associated with reduced life satisfaction. Although social support moderates the influence of situations of vulnerability, little is known about their associations. This study aimed to document situations of vulnerability and examine their association with life satisfaction among older adults, and the moderating effect of social support. Secondary analyses of cross-sectional data (n = 21,491; 73.4 ± 0.04) from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, stratified by sex. Confirmatory factor analysis identified a vulnerability variable from physiological, psychological, socioeconomic and social indicators. Regression models examined the associations. For both sexes, depressive symptoms, chronic conditions and insufficient income best explained vulnerability, followed by dependence in basic activities of daily living, less social participation and living with fewer people. Vulnerability was associated with lower life satisfaction, and social support acted as a buffer against vulnerability. The buffering effect of social support reinforces recommendations concerning policies and interventions designed to increase networks.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Few instruments have a multi-faceted scope designed to capture several aspects of ageism across diverse contexts, known psychometrics qualities, and are available in multiple languages. The World Health Organization developed the Ageism Scale (WHO-ageism), a 5-item multi-faceted instrument, but its psychometrics qualities and French version are lacking. This study aimed to document the French translation of the WHO-ageism, verify its factor structure and internal consistency, and examine its concurrent construct validity with the Everyday Ageism Scale (EAS) and its convergent validity with social participation and life satisfaction, among older adults living in conventional dwellings (CD) and independent living facilities (ILF). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:The WHO-ageism was translated according to the Translation, Review, Adjudication, Pretest, and Documentation approach. A cross-sectional survey was carried out with French-speaking adults aged 75+ years (n = 979). The concurrent and convergent construct validities of the WHO-ageism were examined with correlations with the EAS, social participation, and life satisfaction scales. RESULTS:Translation was finalized without disagreements. Respondents averaged 82.2 years (SD = 5.4), with two-thirds women. The 5-item version presented a single-factor structure and a minimally acceptable internal consistency. WHO-ageism presented satisfactory convergent validity with the EAS (r = .40; p < .001), among women and men (r = .29 and .43; p < .001), and in CD and ILF (r = .43 and .28; p < .001). It correlated weakly with social participation (r = -.09; p < .01) and life satisfaction (r = -.28; p < .001). DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS:These results demonstrate the WHO-ageism's single-factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity, supporting its use in large population surveys to inform strategies addressing ageism.

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As the COVID-19 pandemic impacted mental health, this longitudinal study examined the effect of age-friendly communities (AFC) action plan on older adults’ depressive symptoms. Using the CLSA, the CLSA COVID-19 Questionnaire study, survey of Canadian municipalities, and the census, the depressive symptoms trajectories were modeled with multilevel multinomial regressions. Most respondents (66.1%) had non-depressed trajectories, 28.1% experienced a moderate increase in depressive symptoms, and 5.8% had a depressed trajectory. AFC action plans did not have a protective effect on these trajectories. Being a female, greater loneliness, lower income, ≥2 chronic conditions, inferior social participation, weaker sense of belonging, COVID-19 infection, and pandemic stressors predicted a depressed trajectory. Neighborhood’s deprivation had a weak protective effect on the declining trajectory. Although AFC action plans provided no benefits during the pandemic, volunteers facilitating resource access and social interactions could limit any increase in depressive symptoms.

Abstract Since aging sometimes implies a change in living environment, it is important to better understand happiness and associated factors such as thriving, social participation, community integration and ageism according to residential settings. This study aimed to compare the happiness of older women and men living in a conventional dwelling (CD) and in an independent living facility (ILF), and examined its associations with thriving, social participation, community integration and ageism (self-directed and discrimination). A cross-sectional survey was carried out on a random sample of 509 adults aged 75 and older living in DC and 470 in ILF. Regressions stratified by residential setting and gender examined associations between happiness, thriving and social participation, testing for the moderating effect of ageism and community integration. Participants were 81.3+/-5.3 on average, and two-thirds were women. Controlling for age, living situation and health, the happiness of older adults living in CD and ILF was similar (69.7+/-14.0 vs 68.8+/-18.4; p=0.262). Superior thriving was strongly associated with greater happiness, regardless of residential setting or gender. Higher social participation was associated with greater happiness among women in ILF. For both settings, self-directed ageism was associated with lesser happiness, but discrimination was associated with lesser happiness only in women living in ILF. Higher community integration was associated with greater happiness in both settings, except for men in ILF. According to these results, future studies should evaluate interventions aimed at facilitating thriving and reducing ageism may improve happiness of older adults.

Abstract When experiencing, at a specific moment, multidimensional difficulties (physiological, psychological, socioeconomic or social) increasing the probability of being harmed or having coping challenges that negatively impact their lives, individuals in situations of vulnerability are at risk of reduced life satisfaction. Although not demonstrated yet, social support may mitigate this impact in older adults. This study aimed to examine the associations between situations of vulnerability, life satisfaction and social support, as well as the moderating effect of social support on the association between situations of vulnerability and life satisfaction among older women and men. Secondary analyses of the cross-sectional data on 21,491 respondents aged ≥65 from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging were conducted, stratified by sex. Confirmatory factor analysis was used for identifying a latent vulnerability variable using physiological, psychological, socioeconomic and social indicators. Linear regression estimated the association between vulnerability and life satisfaction, and the moderating effect of social support. Respondents were aged between 65 and 89 (mean=73.4; standard deviation=5.8). For both sexes, reporting more depressive symptoms, chronic conditions and insufficient income best explained vulnerability, followed by dependence in basic activities of daily living, less social participation and living with fewer people. Vulnerability was associated with lower life satisfaction (p<0.001) for both sexes, and social support acted as a buffer against vulnerability (p<0.001) for women. Results confirm the multidimensionality of vulnerability. The buffering effect of social support in women reinforces recommendations concerning policies and interventions designed to increase opportunities of social connections, and further research is warranted for men.

Afin de mieux comprendre la distribution géographique des facilitateurs et des obstacles à la participation sociale des Québécois âgés, cette étude visait à documenter l'Indice du potentiel de participation sociale (IPPS) selon les zones métropolitaines, urbaines et rurales. Des analyses de données secondaires, dont l'Enquête transversale sur la santé des collectivités canadiennes, ont permis de développer et de cartographier un indice composé de facteurs environnementaux associés à la participation sociale, pondérés par une analyse factorielle. En zones métropolitaines, l'IPPS était supérieur au centre qu'en périphérie, compte tenu d'une concentration accrue d'aînés et des transports. Bien qu'atténuée, la configuration était similaire en zones urbaines. En zone rurale, un IPPS élevé était associé à une concentration d'aînés et un accès aux ressources accru, sans configuration spatiale. Pour favoriser la participation sociale, l'IPPS soutient que les transports et l'accès aux ressources doivent respectivement être améliorés en périphérie des métropoles et en zone rurale.

Municipalities can foster the social participation of aging adults. Although making municipalities age-friendly is recognized as a promising way to help aging adults stay involved in their communities, little is known about the key components (e.g., services and structures) that foster social participation. This study thus aimed to identify key age-friendly components (AFC) best associated with the social participation of older Canadians. Secondary analyses were carried out using baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging ( n = 25,411) in selected municipalities ( m = 110 with ≥ 30 respondents), the Age-friendly Survey, and census data. Social participation was estimated based on the number of community activities outside the home per month. AFC included housing, transportation, outdoor spaces and buildings, safety, recreation, workforce participation, information, respect, health, and community services. Multilevel models were used to examine the association between individual social participation, key AFC, and environmental characteristics, while controlling for individual characteristics. Aged between 45 and 89, half of the participants were women who were engaged in 20.2±12.5 activities per month. About 2.5% of the variance in social participation was attributable to municipalities. Better outdoor spaces and buildings ( p < 0.001), worse communication and information ( p < 0.01), and lower material deprivation ( p < 0.001) were associated with higher social participation. Age was the only individual-level variable to have a significant random effect, indicating that municipal contexts may mediate its impact with social participation. This study provides insights to help facilitate social participation and promote age-friendliness, by maintaining safe indoor and outdoor mobility, and informing older adults of available activities.

Background considering the importance of social participation for quality of life and active ageing in older adults, it is an important target of social and health professionals’ interventions. A previous review of definitions of social participation in older adults included articles up to 2009; new publications and changes in the social context (e.g. social media and the COVID-19 pandemic) justify continuing this work. Objective this paper provides an updated inventory and synthesis of definitions of social participation in older adults. Based on a critical review by content experts and knowledge users, a consensual definition is proposed. Methods using a scoping study framework, four databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, AgeLine, PsycInfo) were searched with relevant keywords. Fifty-four new definitions were identified. Using content analysis, definitions were deconstructed as a function of who, how, what, where, with whom, when, and why dimensions. Results social participation definitions mostly focused on people’s involvement in activities providing interactions with others in society or the community. According to this new synthesis and input from content experts and knowledge users, social participation can be defined as a person’s involvement in activities providing interactions with others in community life and in important shared spaces, evolving according to available time and resources, and based on the societal context and what individuals want and is meaningful to them. Conclusion a single definition may facilitate the study of active ageing and the contribution of older adults to society, socioeconomic and personal development, benefits for older adults and society, self-actualisation and goal attainment.

In this chapter, the authors discuss some important aging factors that could increase the likelihood of a stronger sense of coherence (SOC): aging at home, participation, and social support. In his last paper, Aaron Antonovsky (1993) highlighted an example of an intervention among older people, living in their homes, who refused to accept help. He suggested that if researchers had been guided by the salutogenic question of “how to strengthen the comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness of elders,” their intervention research could have been much more sophisticated and rich. The authors are addressing this call. In this chapter, they analyze how social support, active participation, mobility, and other factors can strengthen SOC in old age. They also bring some examples of individual and community programs that are already operating within this salutogenic orientation.

Purpose This conceptual paper aims to describe aging all over the place (AAOP), a federative framework for action, research and policy that considers older adults' diverse experiences of place and life trajectories, along with person-centered care. Design/methodology/approach The framework was developed through group discussions, followed by an appraisal of aging models and validation during workshops with experts, including older adults. Findings Every residential setting and location where older adults go should be considered a "place," flexible and adaptable enough so that aging in place becomes aging all over the place. Health-care professionals, policymakers and researchers are encouraged to collaborate around four axes: biopsychosocial health and empowerment; welcoming, caring, mobilized and supportive community; spatiotemporal life and care trajectories; and out-of-home care and services. When consulted, a Seniors Committee showed appreciation for flexible person-centered care, recognition of life transitions and care trajectories and meaningfulness of the name. Social implications Population aging and the pandemic call for intersectoral actions and for stakeholders beyond health care to act as community leaders. AAOP provides opportunities to connect environmental determinants of health and person-centered care. Originality/value Building on the introduction of an ecological experience of aging, AAOP broadens the concept of care as well as the political and research agenda by greater integration of community and clinical actions. AAOP also endeavors to avoid patronizing older adults and to engage society in strengthening circles of benevolence surrounding older adults, regardless of their residential setting. AAOP's applicability is evidenced by existing projects that share its approach.

Although social participation fosters older adults' health, little is known about which environmental characteristics are related to greater participation in social activities. The Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 2737), a transportation survey, and multiple secondary data sources were used to identify the environmental characteristics associated with older Quebecers' social participation according to living area. Greater social participation was associated with: (1) a higher concentration of older adults (IRR = 2.172 (95% CI 1.600, 2.948); p < 0.001), more kilometers traveled by paratransit (IRR = 1.714 (95% CI 1.286, 2.285); p < 0.01), a lack of medical clinics (IRR = 0.730 (95% CI 0.574, 0.930); p = 0.01), and more funded home adaptations (IRR = 1.170 (95% CI 1.036, 1.320); p = 0.01) in large metropolitan areas; (2) larger paratransit fleets (IRR = 1.368 (95% CI 1.044, 1.791); p = 0.02) and a lower density of road intersections (IRR = 0.862 (95% CI 0.756, 0.982); p = 0.03) in regular metropolitan areas; (3) less social deprivation (IRR = 1.162 (95% CI 1.025, 1.318); p = 0.02) in urban areas; and (4) a higher concentration of older populations (IRR = 2.386 (95% CI 1.817, 3.133); p < 0.001) in rural areas. According to these findings, social participation interventions should target the local environment-for example, by providing more social interaction opportunities for older adults living in younger neighborhoods and by improving access to public transportation, especially paratransit.

AimThis study described and compared participation with community activities and perceived barriers among middle‐aged and older Canadians by gender and age group (45–64, 65–74, 75–84, ≥85 years).MethodUsing the cross‐sectional 2008–2009 Canadian Community Health Survey – Healthy Aging, we considered the frequency of involvement in eight community activities and the presence of 10 perceived personal and environmental barriers.ResultsAlthough frequency was globally similar for women and men (15.2 vs. 14.5 activities per month; P < 0.01), adults aged 65–74 years had higher participation (16.0 activities per month) than adults aged 45–64, 75–84 and ≥85 years (P < 0.01). Barriers showed wider gender and age gaps than participation to community activities. Notably, health condition limitations were the most reported barrier aged ≥65 years, and environmental barriers were generally greater for women than men, particularly transportation problems (P < 0.01), except ≥85 years.ConclusionThe results highlight that further study of social participation and barriers among older adults must consider gender and age differences. The differences are important to consider for designing population interventions aiming at improving social participation among aging Canadians. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 77–84.

This study aimed to describe and compare, according to rurality, the characteristics of regular public transit and paratransit in Quebec municipalities. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire with public transit agencies, two activity reports and open data portal. Representatively distributed among 573 (50.4%) municipalities and boroughs in Quebec, a sample of 72 (43.9%) transit organizations was considered. Inequalities have been mainly identified in the supply of regular transit. Metropolitan areas stand out by lower fares, smaller distances between stops, higher volume of ridership and total distance travelled by kilometres of municipal roads. In comparison to metropolitan areas, urban and rural areas presented fewer complaints, and more paratransit was offered all days.

Social participation is a modifiable health determinant influenced by physical and social aspects of the environment. Little is known about aging women’s and men’s community activities and barriers according to region and population size. This study compared social participation, desire to participate more, and perceived barriers of aging women and men by Canadian region and population size. A secondary analysis of the 2008–2009 cross-sectional Canadian Community Health Survey - Healthy Aging was done with 16,274 respondents aged 65+. Respondents were grouped into five regions [Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairies and British Columbia] and five population size groups [rural (< 1000 inhabitants); small urban (1000-29,999); medium urban (30,000-99,999); large urban (100,000-499,999); and metropolitan (≥500,000) areas]. Social participation was estimated by monthly frequencies of engagement in community activities. If they desired to participate more, respondents were asked to identify barriers to their participation from a list of 13 reasons. There were no differences in total social participation between regions but Prairies and Quebec respondents had the highest and lowest frequency, respectively, of activities with family and friends (5.4 and 4.3 activities/month; p = 0.01). Medium urban centers had the highest participation and metropolises, the lowest (17.4 vs 14.3 activities/month; p < 0.01). About one fourth of all respondents wanted to participate more, regardless of region or population size. Overall, women wanted to participate more than men (26.6 vs 20.7%; p < 0.001), especially in Ontario (28.3 vs 21.1%; p < 0.001) and British Columbia (30.1 vs 22.9%; p < 0.001). Men in Quebec were less likely than men in other regions to report “personal responsibilities” as a barrier to participation (p < 0.001). Men were more likely than women to report being “too busy”, especially in rural areas (27.1 vs 6.5%; p < 0.001). Rural women were more likely than rural men to be constrained by transportation problems (15.1 vs 1.2%, p < 0.001). Unavailability of activities was more of a constraint in rural areas than metropolises (13.6 vs 6.0%, p < 0.001). Overall, there were no practical differences between women’s and men’s social participation. However, unavailability of activities and transportation problems suggest that local initiatives and further research on environmental characteristics are required to foster aging Canadians’ participation.

We document and compare the environmental characteristics potentially associated with social participation of older Quebecers, according to the level of rurality. A survey was carried out among older Quebecers aged 65 and over recruited by different senior groups and through social media. The Questionnaire their potential for social participation, developed from a systematic literature review, was completed by respondents. According to the 515 older participants, 71.5 years old on average, environmental characteristics linked to social participation, as well as user-friendliness of the city and neighborhood, are more favorably perceived in metropolitan and urban areas than rural areas. However, access to public transportation and the welcoming and openness of local residents are more appreciated by rural respondents. These results support the presence of inequalities in social participation according to level of rurality and offer some leads for action.

The research presented in this chapter aims to initiate the development of a spatial typology of cinematographic narratives, using a cybercartographic application. This application has been developed to map the narrative structure of 46 contemporary Canadian films. The spatial dimensions of these narrative structures were characterized by the locations of the action, the movement between these locations, and the different places mentioned in these films. Throughout the process of mapping and analysing these criteria, some recurrent narrative forms were identified, as well as some connections between certain cinematographic genres (such as documentaries) and complex spatial narrative structures. Based on these results, an initial spatial typology of cinematographic narratives is proposed.